Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Heir’s Suite, Battle House, The Alpha Underworld
“ H arbinger just fucked Harley over his Harley …?” River dramatically swoons over the back of the couch in the Heir’s Suite. “Tell me that he was wearing black leathers, bella. Did he keep his motorcycle helmet on? He seems the type of badass Alpha who would.”
River waggles his eyebrows.
He leaps up, clutching his heart and sighing.
I laugh. “I still can’t feel my legs.”
I’m sprawled on the armchair next to the couch in a happy daze.
My cheeks are flushed. I’m still heated. I didn’t know that amazing sex could raise your temperature for hours like this.
There’s only an hour left, before I need to make my entrance at the Heir’s Ball.
The Beta servants have been a hive of frantic activity getting Battle House ready downstairs for the event. One delivered a scarlet ball gown for me, which is now draped over the end of the bed, along with a matching pair of high heels.
I eye the clothes, warily.
The dress is like something out of a fairy tale.
It’s designer, with a sleeveless bodice, which is embellished with red rose beads that River cooed over.
It’s the skirt of the dress, however, that makes it look like it’s fit for a princess. It’s tulle with red ruffles at the bottom, which will rustle with every step that I take.
Dad intends me to attend the ball as a true mafia princess.
Even Allegra has never been gifted a dress this grand.
I scrunch up my nose.
Wearing this dress would be my sister’s heaven, but it isn’t my style.
Does Dad not know me at all or doesn’t he care?
I have a feeling that he’ll be using me to make a dramatic statement to our family, as much as to the rest of the packs.
This dress is part of that. It’s why I’ve been avoiding putting it on for as long as possible.
I should be crowing over my victory. A luxurious, expensive dress is a symbol of it.
Unlike what Harbinger may think, however, I don’t care about money, status, or power.
I’m driven by the desire to rescue the men I love.
Feral’s pheromones become even thicker in the room. He’s pacing from one side of the suite to the other with his arms crossed.
As soon as I returned from my bike ride earlier, I took a shower in my suite and scrubbed as much of Harbinger’s scent off me as I could. I didn’t know what impact it would have on Feral.
I couldn’t risk it triggering him.
Yet I needed to explain to him, as well as bring him up to speed along with the others.
Of course, Feral still took one sniff, as soon as I walked into the attic, and started growling.
He’d never smelled another Alpha on me before.
He banged his shoulder into the side of the cage, desperate to touch me.
River, who’d been chatting to Feral, immediately broke another rule by releasing him from his cage, rather than letting him hurt himself.
Feral surged up and slammed me into the wall.
He buried his nose in my neck, taking deep breaths, while his hand settled over my crotch.
“Harbinger?” Feral licked over my neck, where earlier Harbinger’s teeth had rested.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Are you okay with…?”
“M-my Omega.” Feral nipped my neck in claiming little bites, before rubbing himself against me like he was trying to transfer as much of his scent to me as possible. Then his dominant gaze met mine. “M-my Alpha.”
Feral gave a dangerous smile like he was thinking about what wicked things he was going to do to his Alpha.
I hope that Harbinger knows what he’s getting into.
But then, Feral will only break Harbinger in the best ways.
I glance at River, who is still swooning over Harbinger.
Does River realize how close he’s skating to the line with Feral? Or is the brat doing it on purpose?
As long as it’s his ass that’s at risk of spanking and not mine.
“Can I watch next time?” River leans over me, seductively kissing my cheek. “Wait, can Harbinger fuck me next time? Or how about, if he fucks Laurent and you at the same time and then…?”
“All interesting questions,” Laurent drawls in a bored way, which makes River’s excited smile fade.
I try not to laugh, kissing River’s lips to tempt back his smile.
River is my Sunshine as much as he’s Harbinger’s, and I need his warmth.
Laurent is sprawled in our nest. He’s picking at a cherry muffin but not really eating it.
He’s already immaculately dressed in his suit with his hair styled with rose clips, ready for the ball.
As an elite Omega, rather than a Companion ward or a feral fighter, he’s the only one of my men who has been given an invitation.
In fact, Laurent always looks like he’s just about to step into a ball as the Omega Prince Charming.
Until he opens his mouth, of course, and then he’s like an Alpha Grandmaster or possibly, Sherlock.
Laurent’s lips thin. “The more relevant question than how mind-blowing my scent match’s cock no doubt felt…”
The blood drains from my face. “My Thorn, I’m sorry.”
Some ancient elite Omegas have traditions about things like this.
As his scent match, Laurent should have been all Harbinger’s firsts in our pack.
I didn’t imagine that Laurent was that type of Omega. On the other hand, he was raised strictly. He may believe in the rules that I’ve heard other Omegas from Above talking about.
“It wasn’t planned,” I explain. “In fact, I was mainly scolding Harbinger and somehow that turned into kissing and then…”
“It’s happened to all of us.” Laurent arches his brow. “Actually, it hasn’t. But I’m not concerned about some bullshit elite tradition. I’m more concerned that Harbinger used his frankly stunning ass to distract you. What Omega can think, when they’re being fucked senseless?”
“What do you mean?”
“The relevant questions are,” Laurent held up his elegant fingers on each one, “how did he win the race against you? How did he know the trick to the track? He could have asked you anything, so why did he waste his one question to ask you about why you wanted to become heir? Why did he put his emphasis on us risking our lives?”
River straightens, twirling to Laurent. “Do you ever let that smart mind of yours rest and simply enjoy the moment? Me? I want to revel in some villain fantasies. For example, Harbinger gives me a ride on his motorcycle, while I secretly ride him …”
Feral snaps.
With a growl, Feral stalks across the bedroom and snatches River by the curls.
Feral looks like a giant next to the Beta.
River yelps but goes limp in submission.
River is panting. His pupils are dilated. He leans against Feral, looking up at him with so much love that it makes my heart leap.
I’m beginning to understand why River wants to watch Harbinger and me together.
Feral drags River into a punishing kiss. Then he bites hard on his lower lip.
River groans in pleasurepain but doesn’t pull away. His long eyelashes flutter.
At last, Feral releases River’s lip, licking over it in satisfaction. “M-my Beta.”
“Got it,” River replies, struggling to loop his arms around Feral’s strong shoulders.
Feral kisses him again, hard and claiming but slightly gentler than before. “And I’ll be the one f-f-fucking Harbinger over his Harley.”
River looks delighted. “And I can watch, right?”
Feral merely smirks.
“Count me in.” Laurent waves his hand, regally. “Alpha on Alpha is my favorite type of taboo porn.”
The image of Feral, the Devil Alpha, fighting for dominance with the other wolf tattooed Alpha, already has me wet.
I bite my lip.
Feral’s intense gaze settles on me. “I w-w-want Harbinger.”
“I do as well,” I soothe. “We just need to get through this ball. Then I can claim you all. After that we can make a plan for Harbinger.”
“This is really happening.” River hugs tighter onto Feral. “We’re going to bond. I’ll belong to you both.”
“To me as well.” Laurent’s gaze sharpens.
“I wouldn’t dare forget you.” River blows Laurent a kiss, and the Omega subsides looking mollified.
Laurent drops the half-eaten muffin, before taking out his handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously cleaning his fingers.
He crawls out of the nest, pushing himself to his feet. “May I help you dress?”
I frown. “I know that I don’t look like it but I know how to put on a dress, sort of.”
Laurent saunters to me, laying his hand on my shoulder. “My mistake. You’re more skilled than the dancers in the ballet academy. I’ve spent years helping to do up zips and elaborates dresses like this for their quick costume changes during performances. Obviously, you’re a secret contortionist. What other hidden talents do you have? Can you touch your nose with your tongue? Do that funny fish face…oh look, River is demonstrating. ”
Feral laughs.
Then he surprises Laurent by grabbing him by hair in the same way that he’s caught River. He bends Laurent’s neck backward to capture his lips in a kiss, which drives all the sass out of the Omega.
Then Feral shoves Laurent with a pat on the ass toward the dress, which is a clear order to help me with it.
Reluctantly, I push myself out of the armchair and approach the dreaded dress.
The only thing that makes it easier is the cute way that Laurent is touching his lips like they’re still tingling.
“You’ll look like the true princess that you are,” River breathes, excitedly. “I have always imagined being able to gift you something like this. In Sicily, bella, I would have.”
River’s happiness transforms how I feel about wearing this outfit.
It represents our success.
River’s joy.
His love.
So, I smile at him and allow myself to enjoy this moment fully.
I step to the bed and watch in shock the deft way that Laurent turns the dress over and then undoes a complicated sequence of zips, buttons, and ties that I would one hundred percent never have been able to work out and definitely couldn’t do up myself.
“I bow to your superior knowledge of both posh clothes and chess,” I admit. “You’re my dress fairy godfather.”
“Cinderella, you will go to the ball.” Laurent holds up the bodice. “Careful, step in. Don’t put your foot through the tulle. Slowly.”
I let him guide me into the dress.
He’s careful not to stand on the skirt, which flows around me like ruffled flames. Then he pulls the bodice up, concentrating hard on doing up the back.
I shiver, as Laurent’s fingers dance across my skin.
“You’ll be the most beautiful woman in the room in this dress.” Laurent presses a kiss to the back of my neck. My breath hitches. I fist my hands, struggling not to move. His breath is hot, as an equal heat races through me. “But to me, you’re always the most beautiful woman in any room. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. Feral and you were like these blazing, wild pair of Omegas and Alphas, when I first saw you in the cage. But you were bigger than any cage. Nothing could hold your spirits. I fell in love not because of your beauty but because of your souls.”
“Laurent…” My eyes burn with tears.
“Stay still. One button to go.”
I feel his fingers fiddling with a final button, before he presses a kiss to my back above the bodice and then on my shoulder like he’s not ready to face me yet but is showing me the love in his touch.
I’m trembling with need.
“May I put your shoes on for you, bella?” River asks.
I nod, shakily, as Laurent continues to lavish me with tender kisses.
Feral and River exchange a glance, before they prowl together to the bed. They take up a shoe each.
My eyes widen, as both Alpha and Beta kneel in front of me.
My mouth becomes dry.
River kisses Feral, before he carefully pushes aside the ruffles to reveal my right foot.
River glances up at me through his long eyelashes. He bends to pick up my foot, kissing my ankle and then my foot, reverently.
Fuck, I love this man.
He slips on my scarlet heel with loving care.
Then he shuffles back, pulling aside the ruffles to allow Feral to run his strong fingers over my left foot.
Is Feral going to…?
Feral gives me a wicked look. He knows what he’s doing to me.
This is worship.
I’ve never doubted Feral’s love for me, and I know that he’s never doubted mine for him.
We’re the perfect Omega and Alpha pair both inside and outside a fight.
We’ve both always felt it.
Feral’s life in this pack has been hell. Without River and me, he would have been treated as nothing but a dumb, bestial experiment by the pack.
A feral Alpha without rights, feelings, or chance at bonding.
A man who deserves to wear a shock collar.
Yet Feral and I have fought and suffered together in order to change that.
And tonight, after years of blood and bruises, I can at last acknowledge our secret, forbidden love and claim him for my pack.
Feral kisses the arch of my foot, before slipping on my shoe in a move that should be submissive but is actually a dominant claiming.
Now, every dance step that I take, I will feel my Alpha’s lips branded onto my skin.
Laurent is still kissing my neck. River is kneeling and looking up at me adoringly.
“I love you all,” I murmur. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Yet can I really promise that?
The ball will be dangerous because every event with Dad is.
Tonight, when Dad names me as heir, he’s told me that I can choose my pack.
Except, Dad is volatile, aggressive, and violent.
How will he react when I name River, Feral, and Laurent?